Nothing In Life Is Free
Jesse was on a solo road trip. Some time away on his own to deal with the divorce he hadn't wanted. He had tried to make it work for eleven years, and he had stopped trying when he realized that no amount of money, travel, or "quality time" would make his wife happy. He started doing what he had wanted. He started working out, read the books he wanted, and even enjoyed the scenery at work. He was an associate professor at a small university. When he earned tenure, he realized that the job security wasn't what he really wanted all along. Jesse needed a challenge. And when the challenge of keeping his marriage together turned out to be unwinnable, he sought something new. He enjoyed his work, and summer school was especially enjoyable, what with the coeds prancing around in next to nothing in an effort to beat the Arizona heat. But he was ready for some time to sort things through in his head. Plus, he was more than a little tired of the rich college girls flaunting their bodies at him to get "extra credit" or a little extra time for a paper. It's C.O.L.L.E.G.E. people! It's supposed to be tough! Suck it up and study! Why did it seem that everyone, his ex included, wanted something that hadn't been earned? So he hitched his travel trailer to his F150, a post-divorce gift to himself, and hit the road.
Jesse wasn't sure where he wanted to go. He just knew he wanted...no, needed... To get away. So he started driving east, towards Texas, toward home. The miles flew by, and the low fuel warning chime was kind enough to bring him back to reality. He stopped in Gallup, New Mexico, for gas.
"Hey, mister!" Jesse almost didn't turn around. He was accustomed to being called 'Doctor Richards,' but correcting the clueless tourists lost in the desert would serve no one's interests, and it would just make him look like an asshole. Jesse was tired and frustrated with life, but he still tried to be a good guy.
"Yes, ma'am?" he answered politely.
"How far is Amarillo from here? We're having car trouble, and I need to get to my uncle's place. He can fix my car for me." She was a short, cute blonde who batted her eyes at Jesse, knowing how to use her feminine wiles to get what she needed.
Jesse wanted to be a smartass and tell her to use her smart phone and figure it out for herself, but those retorts only happened when he was alone. In the company of others, he defaulted to helpfulness. It was a character trait that had landed him in more than one bad relationship. "It's quite a ways. I can usually make it in six hours, but if you're doing the speed limit or less, it will take a fully day of driving."
"Damn." She was honestly worried now. "We went on a road trip to see the Grand Canyon, and now I'm not sure we'll make it home. What do you recommend?"
Having travelled this road many times, Jesse knew this was no place to be stranded. "Well, you can leave your car at a shop here and wait for it to be fixed, but your choices here will be limited. Your second option is to have it towed to a shop in Albuquerque and wait it out there." Jesse then put the pieces together and realized the girls were driving an old Pontiac Grand Am. He hadn't seen one of those in a long, long time, and they weren't great cars in their heyday. "But given the shape of your ride, I would recommend selling it here and getting a bus ticket."
The girls thanked Jesse and went back into the gas station. Jesse finished filling up his truck, felt a twinge of hunger, and decided to get something to eat. He stopped at the Route 66 Café for lunch. It was old, not at all fancy, and pretty simple, but it was where he stopped on every trip through. Halfway through his burger, he heard the bell on the diner's front door chime, followed by the voices of two distraught young coeds. He didn't have to look to know who it was.
"Hey mister! We meet again!" The lead bubble-brain chimed. Jesse was already tired of being called "mister."
"Hello there. What did you decide?" He asked, not really interested in the response.
"We decided to take your advice. Well, after talking to my folks. That car was done in anyway. So now we just need to get a bus ticket home, but we decided to get some lunch. Better to think on a full stomach. Plus, the next bus doesn't leave here until 10 p.m. Where are you headed? My name's Jennifer, by the way. And this is my bestie, Sandra."
